


Fic Advent

by horrorkyungsoo (hyemiyah)



Category: EXO (Band), Haikyuu!!, Infinite (Band), SISTAR, 응답하라 1988 | Answer Me 1988
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-03
Updated: 2016-02-22
Packaged: 2018-07-27 15:41:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7624396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyemiyah/pseuds/horrorkyungsoo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>WOOYEOL. Yeol comforting Woohyun back when he was having such a hard time. Comforting could also mean snarking and joking around.</p>
          </blockquote>





	1. I will follow you into the dark. (Woohyun/Sungyeol)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WOOYEOL. Yeol comforting Woohyun back when he was having such a hard time. Comforting could also mean snarking and joking around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Lauren.

 

 

 

“Hyung?” Sungyeol stands in the doorway, not daring to step into the room. The lights are off, but Sungyeol knows Woohyun is inside. He heard him and Sunggyu having an argument earlier.

Woohyun doesn’t answer, instead he lets a long sigh, as if the mere act of breathing were painful. Sungyeol has seen Woohyun depressed before, but he’s never seen him like this. He’s quieter than usual, and when he speaks, he sounds sad. Even Myungsoo has noticed something’s wrong with him.

Sungyeol steps inside and turns on the lights. Woohyun’s room is spotless. Sungyeol expected to find clothes piling up on the floor. Instead he finds Woohyun there, lying on his stomach.

“What are you doing?”

“Can you stop being mad? I don’t know what Sunggyu hyung did, but can you stop being mad? Or at least can you stop being mad at the rest of us, innocent ones?”

Woohyun doesn’t move so Sungyeol has no way of knowing if that last remark made him smile.

“I’m not mad,” Woohyun says, and there’s something about his voice that breaks Sungyeol’s heart. He sits on the floor next to Woohyun and pats his butt lightly.

“Hyung, if you don’t tell us what we did wrong, how are we going to fix it?” Sungyeol moves his hand upwards and rests it on the small of Woohyun’s back, wishing Woohyun would turn around and look at him.

Another long sigh. Sungyeol is dreading coming inside Woohyun’s room. Maybe he should have let him be. But when Sungyeol bumped into Woohyun on his way to the bathroom, he saw something in his eyes that sent shivers down his spine. It was raw and desperate. Sungyeol has been worried Woohyun would hurt himself all afternoon.

“You did nothing wrong, Sungyeolah,” Woohyun says, and he sounds as raw and desperate as the look he had in his eyes earlier. “It’s _me_. It’s _always_ been me.”

Sungyeol has no idea what that could mean, but he wants to be there for his hyung so he curls up next to him, careful not to take his hand off his body.

“I don’t even know who I am anymore.”

Woohyun’s head is still turned, so Sungyeol stares at the nape of his neck and says, “I know who you are. You’re my Woohyunie hyung.”

Sungyeol regrets the words immediately. He’s suddenly too embarrassed to keep staring at the back of Woohyun’s head. But before he can run as far away as he can, Woohyun turns and faces him. And Sungyeol had forgotten how devastatingly beautiful Woohyun can be at times. _How could he ever forget?_

“I am, aren’t I?” Woohyun’s smile is small, but it’s there. And Sungyeol feels proud of being the one who put it there, for once.

“You’re Myungsoo’s too. And Howon’s. And Sungjong’s.” Sungyeol says, looking at the ceiling. He has no idea what he would do if he keeps looking at Woohyun when he’s smiling like that. “But, I mean. You were my hyung first.”

Woohyun wasn’t Sungyeol’s hyung first. In fact, Sungyeol had refused to call Woohyun hyung for a while after being the last to join the group. Woohyun doesn’t deny it, though.

They stay like that for a while. Both of them lying on their backs, their hands barely touching.

 

 

 


	2. Blue is the warmest colour. (Oikawa centric/Seijou third years)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa being trash.

 

 

 

They’re in the library looking for some reference books for a class assignment, when they hear Oikawa make a loud and obvious delighted noise. Of course, the only thing they do is ignore him.

“Ahem…”

“I heard you the first time, Shittykawa. I just thought you’d be smart enough to get the hint and notice we have better things to do.” Iwaizumi says loud enough for Oikawa to hear, but careful not to be too loud. They’re in the library, after all. And they need to finish their assignments before they get to practice.

Next to him, Matsukawa and Hanamaki exchange glances, shrug at each other, and proceed with their homework.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Iwa-chan. There’s nothing better than me,” Oikawa says loudly, getting an angry look from the librarian. He doesn’t notice, though and keeps on with his antics. “This note says so.”

“What are you talking about?” Somewhere deep inside Iwaizumi’s head, something is telling him he’ll regret speaking without thinking. Even his unconsciousness knows not to give Oikawa what he wants–which is always attention.

“This note I found tucked in one of the books.” Iwaizumi looks at the note Oikawa has in his hand, but he has no idea what he’s babbling about. “It says, ‘You look pretty today. I like you in blue.’”

“You’re wearing the school uniform.” Matsukawa points out without looking up from his notes.

“That’s not the point.” Oikawa says. This whole ordeal is too ridiculous for Iwaizumi to comprehend, so he just shakes his head indignantly. “The point is someone saw me wearing blue some other day and tucked this note for me to find.”

Iwaizumi eyes the book Oikawa has been reading and says, “Yeah, inside Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in Twentieth-Century America.” What!? What is Oikawa even writing about? “That’s too ridiculous. Even for you, Trashykawa.”

“Don’t be jealous, Iwa-chan. I can’t help being so pretty girls leave me notes in random books.” Oikawa gets up, gathers his stuff, and takes the book to the front desk. Probably to take it out and carry it around to make sure whoever left the note there would know he found it and got the message. It’s incredibly absurd, but Iwaizumi has known Oikawa for years. He knows his delusion better than anyone. “Now if you’ll excuse me.”

“Well, at least we got rid of him,” Hanamaki says when he’s sure Oikawa is no longer within hearing distance.

 

 

 


	3. 아마도 우린. (Minseok/Luhan)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hyemi!!!!! For your advent thing write me something xiuhan lol. Honestly whatever you want. It’s in honor of Luhan taking a ‘vacation’ in SK (and in turn throwing me into a tailspin of emotions lmfao)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Alicia

 

 

 

“Wow, hyungs. You two are being gross right now. Please stop.” Jongdae tries to make a disgusted face, but the giant smile plastered on his face is giving him away.

“Shut it, Kim Jongdae. Nobody forced you to come.” Luhan retorts, his hand is still tangled in Minseok’s and he’s glad Minseok hasn’t let go. Even after Luhan’s palm has started to sweat. He thought he was going to go crazy while he was waiting for them to show up; he doesn’t remember ever being so anxious.

But then he turns and finds Minseok’s eyes, staring at him, and Luhan swears he has never seen anything more beautiful. He feels a blush creeping up his neck, so he clears his throat and looks at Jongdae. “Why did I even invite you? It would have been much better without you. I take my invitation back, you can go somewhere else.”

Jongdae laughs, clearly not taking Luhan’s words to heart. Luhan missed this, he missed his friends. The easy banter and the way they could be such jerks to each other–because, apparently, being a jerk is the new way of showing your friends how much you care about them.

“It’s good to see you, too, hyung. I missed you.”

If it’s coming from the one and only Kim Jongdae, then that means it’s absolutely true. And the way Minseok hasn’t let go of Luhan’s hand proves it. Minseok has always hated Luhan’s sweaty palms, but right now he doesn’t seem to mind. As these thoughts hit him, something breaks inside Luhan. He takes a deep breath and says, “What are you guys drinkikng? It’s my treat.”

“Making lots of money after you ditched us, eh, Lu-ge?” There’s no ill intention in Jongdae’s words, he’s just being a jerk back. But the words still sting. Mostly because it’s the truth.

Minseok must notice the way Luhan’s body stilled, even if it was only for a second, because then he says, “Guys, let’s sit down first. I don’t want to attract attention.”

“I didn’t…” Luhan begins as he sits next to Minseok. But there’s a big lump in his throat. “I…”

Jongdae reaches for his free hand, squeezes it gently, and makes sure Luhan is looking at him in the eye when he tells him, “Hyung, I know. We all know. You told us about it, remember? And we told you it was okay. And it is. We all want what’s best for you.”

Luhan nods. He takes another deep breath, and Minseok must have taken a really early shower because he smells good. Then he feels Minseok squeezing his hand under the table and he nods again. “I miss you guys.” Then, in a smaller voice, “We had fun, didn’t we?”

“Doesn’t mean we can’t have fun anymore,” Jongdae says, eyeing the menu. “And we miss you, too. In fact, Baekhyun was planning on breaking into that music shop in Myeongdong to steal one of your standees and take it home.”

“He didn’t,” Luhan smiles despite himself. That would be such a Byun Baekhyun thing to do.

“He did.” Minseok says. “I want the usual thing. Americano. And I think I’ll eat a pita bread sandwich.”

Luhan hums in approval. He feels good. He was really anxious about coming to Seoul, but now he feels at ease, comfortable. He never thought it could be this easy. They have been through so many things together. Some of them were bad, but there were good things, too. Their strong friendship is one of them. Top of the list, probably.

“I want the most expensive drink in the menu,” Jongdae says. Of course Jongdae would order that. Luhan hopes it’s something disgusting. “Hyung, does Junmyeon hyung know you’re here?”

Unfortunately, the most expensive drink in the menu is an iced mint caffe mocha. Lucky bastard. “No, I haven’t called him yet. Why?” Luhan hopes at least Jongdae freezes to death, having an iced drink in the middle of winter.

“You should show up in the dorm wearing a woman’s wig. That would totally make Junmyeon hyung get a hard on.”

Minseok laughs one of his loud and honest laughs. The one Luhan missed the most. He feels lighthearted, all of a sudden. And even though he hates being told he’s pretty like a girl, Luhan wants to wear the wig and prank Junmyeon. Only if it would make Minseok laugh like that again.

 

 

 


	4. For what it's worth. (Sunggyu/Sungyeol)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> gyuyeol (clearly) & how they discuss their eventual vacation together. (where to go/what they’ll do/if it’s actually just a pipe dream/how they got their whole company a trip to hawaii for valentine’s day)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Omelia.

 

 

 

“Does this swimsuit make me look fat?”

Sunggyu takes his eyes off the laptop screen to see a worried-looking Sungyeol wearing nothing but red shorts, standing in front of him. It’s the middle of winter, the temperature outside is around -3. _Why is Sungyeol naked?_

“Yeol-ah, why are you naked?” Myungsoo asks. He’d come looking for Sunggyu earlier to watch the new episode of _Dame na Watashi ni Koishite Kudasai_ . And Sunggyu is not one for watching dramas based on shoujo mangas, but this one is _different_. Shibata Michiko is a 30-year-old virgin who has never even been _properly kissed_. Sunggyu doesn’t sympathise with her, not at all. But he’s lucky Sungyeol’s priorities are distracting him from checking on what Myungsoo and him are watching.

If it were any other day, Sungyeol would already have taken hold of the laptop and would use this new piece of information for future blackmail.

Nonetheless, it’s dangerous to have the drama still playing while Sungyeol is in the same room. So Sunggyu quickly presses pause, and smoothly closes the laptop.

“It… looks… nice…” he says. “Doesn’t make you look fat, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Maybe this is not what Sungyeol was planning to hear. Or maybe _nothing_ Sunggyu ever says is exactly what Sungyeol wants to hear from him. His half-eyebrows are furrowed, and he still has his hands on his hips.

“What are you two doing? Why aren’t you packing?”

“We already packed,” Myungsoo says. Sunggyu shots him a worried look and hopes Myungsoo reads the desperation in his eyes. _Please, please, don’t mention we were watching a shoujo–manga–based drama._

“Already packed!?” Sunggyu has no idea why Sungyeol is making such a big deal out of this trip. It’s _only_ Hawaii. It’s only the entire company joining them on their trip. “What did you even pack!?”

“Swimsuits, t-shirts, shorts, flip flops, underwear, and lots of sunscreen and bottled water .” Sunggyu puts down a finger with each item he mentions. Myungsoo nods next to him. They’re still lying on their stomachs on Sunggyu’s bed.

“And ramyeon.” Myungsoo says earnestly.

“ _And ramyeon_.”

Sungyeol looks at them with a mix of anger and disappointment. Sunggyu notices this wasn’t what Sungyeol wanted to hear either, and feels guilty.

“Ugh, whatever. Please keep on watching your shoujo anime.”

“It wasn’t an anime; it was a drama!” Myungsoo shouts at Sungyeol’s retreating–and naked–back. Sunggyu buries his head on his bed.

 

 

 

Sunggyu couldn’t focus on the drama _at all_. His brain kept replaying Sungyeol’s hurt look over and over again. He finds Sungyeol in his bedroom, looking out the window and _sulking_.

Sungyeol needs to put on some clothes. Sunggyu doesn’t want him catching a cold and missing their trip.  

Now that he thinks about it, they’ve always wanted to go on a trip together, the both of them. Sunggyu remembers the excitement in Sungyeol’s eyes when they heard they were going to Hawaii.

“Sungyeolie?” Sunggyu says. He looks at Sungyeol’s bed and finds a notebook full of notes and pictures. He realises Sungyeol kept his word. When they had both decided they wanted to go backpacking some day, Sungyeol had offered to do all the research.

“It’s okay, hyung. Go watch your stupid drama.” Sungyeol is still looking out the window so Sunggyu grabs a hoodie and some sweatpants for him to put on.

“I’m sorry,” he says, offering Sungyeol his clothes. Sungyeol looks up at him from where he is sitting by the window, and shots him an angry look. Sunggyu motions for Sungyeol to raise his arms so he can put on the hoodie. He can see Sungyeol hesitating for a moment, but he obliges. “I’m sorry, Sungyeolie.”

When he finishes with the hoodie, Sunggyu kneels down so he can start with the sweatpants. “Tell me what you planned for us to do in Hawaii?” Sungyeol’s legs are both clothed, but now comes the hip problem. He’s still sitting, and Sunggyu has no idea if Sungyeol is planning on putting on the sweatpants himself. But he’s determined to do this to the end, so he grabs the elastic band and pulls Sungyeol up.

The sweatpants are somehow on Sungyeol’s body. Except now Sungyeol’s body is very close to Sunggyu, too. And Sunggyu’s hands are still around Sungyeol’s hips. Sungyeol takes advantage of his height and the position of their bodies to plant a kiss on Sunggyu’s nose. “I have it all planned, hyung.”

 

 

 


	5. You're a good boy, Kim Junghwan. (Junghwan centric)

 

 

 

“To what do we owe this pleasure?” Dukseon says as she sits down across him. Junghwan braces his heart for the pang that comes whenever he sees her. He realises she spoke plurally, meaning me and Taek. Meaning we’re together, we’re in love, we’re one. He waits for the tightness in his throat, for the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. But the affliction he is steeling himself for doesn’t come.

“Long time no see.” Junghwan says. He notices the way Taek stops holding Dukseon’s hand. He wishes he wouldn’t notice this sort of things, but he always does. Except this time, he wishes Taek would stop doing things like this for his sake, too.

Dukseon doesn’t say anything. She just looks at him the way she used to whenever she thought he was being unreasonable.

“Have you been good?” Taek says. His voice is as quiet as it has always been, but it’s also careful. As if he were stepping on mines or something. Junghwan suddenly feels the urge to reach for his head across the table and ruffle his hair.

“Seriously, what’s wrong with you? Why do you keep smiling, it’s creeping me out.” Ah, Sung Dukseon, as blunt as usual. Why did he even like her? But Junghwan can’t stop it; it’s been ages since he felt this good.

“I met a girl,” he begins. And Taek’s face lights up like a Christmas tree. Sly bastard. Why does he have to be so obliviously cute? Next to him, Dukseon snorts.

“And?” She says, she has her arms crossed. Junghwan knows this is her way of telling him she’s mad at him because he never comes whenever they get together.

“Just thought I’d let you know.” This is not entirely true. Part of him wanted some sort of confirmation. Seeing Dukseon for the first time in almost two years made it all clear. Junghwan is finally over her.

Taek reaches for his hand across the table, gives it a little squeeze, and tells him, “Congratulations. I’m very happy for you.” He smiles one of those devastating smiles that seem to contain all the happiness in the world. This makes Junghwan smile, too.

“Thank you,” Junghwan says. He’s known this guy for years and he’s never quite comprehend how his mind works. Some people might think he’s only ever good at baduk, but Junghwan knows Taek pays attention to the important things. To the little details. He figured Junghwan out without even trying.

Dukseon makes a disgusted face at them, then rolls her eyes, “Are we eating yet? I’m starving.”

 

 

 


	6. 그날에 우리. (Baekhyun/Jongdae)

 

 

 

“Please stop sending me pictures of your ugly face.” Jongdae scrunches his face as he looks at his phone screen. “Especially when I am _right next to you_.”

Baekhyun is sprawled on the couch, his legs resting on Jongdae’s legs. They’ve been watching a movie, some old black and white thing. Only Baekhyun got bored half way through. There is always _so much_ going on in black and white movies. The conversations are always so witty. Baekhyun is too tired to analyse whatever is going on, so he started playing with his phone.

“But you love my face,” he says, hoping Jongdae would just stop the movie and pay attention to _him_.

Jonhdae snorts. He puts his phone away and goes back to watching the movie. “I don’t know why you take so many selcas. You don’t even have an Instagram account.”

In all honesty, Baekhyun does have an Instagram account. Except his Instagram account is not full of selcas like Jongdae imagines. Instead, Baekhyun uploads pictures of things that he finds beautiful: a sunset at the beach, his dog playing in the park, his family laughing at a gathering. Jongdae’s long eyelashes, Jongdae’s sleeping face, Jongdae looking out the window of his flat and smiling at whatever he’s watching outside.

“Vanity is a sin, you know,” Jongdae says. He is still staring at the television screen. But there is something so breathtaking about the light reflecting in Jongdae’s profile. Baekhyun’s fingers itch to take a picture.

“You religious nerd,” he says. Maybe if he pretends he is taking his own picture. Maybe if he places his phone _just so,_ maybe he would be able to capture Jongdae’s profile.

“Aren’t you religious, too? Isn’t your family Buddhist?” Jongdae chooses this moment to look at Baekhyun, just when he was about to press the camera shutter.

Baekhyun clears his throat, pretending he wasn’t almost caught stalking his best friend. “Damn right.“

“So you don’t believe in anything?”

The movie is still playing. Baekhyun can hear the characters talking; their words most likely carrying more than one meaning. Jongdae is still looking at him, though.

_Does he believe in anything?_ He believes in his family. He believes in his mum, when she tells him she’ll make something delicious for him next time he goes to visit. He believes in his brother, when he tells him life doesn’t really get better after college, so he must enjoy it while it lasts. He believed his teacher, when she had recommended the movie he and Jongdae are watching. When she said there was just _so much going on_ , and that they had to pay close attention to the dialogue.

But most of all, he believes in Jongdae. And how he’s always known the right words to say whenever Baekhyun was going through a bad break-up or a failed subject. He believes in Jongdae, and how he’ll always buy juk from that place near the train station whenever Baekhyun has a cold. He believes in Jongdae, with his long eyelashes and his beautiful profile.

“Yeah, I do,” he says, and they both go back to watching the movie.

 

 

 


	7. 風をあつめて. (Soyu/Jongin)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this picture.](http://georgealwaysjuicy.tumblr.com/post/127082430509)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Alicia, for looking over this<3

 

 

 

“I can’t believe you’re here,” Jongdae says half-teasing. “You used to be like, ‘Thanks guys, but I already left my house _once_ this summer.’ And then you’d slam the door in our faces.” Jongin doesn’t have to look at Jongdae to know he’s upset, and maybe hurt. Jongdae always takes things a little too personal.

“Look how far you’ve come,” Baekhyun sits next to Jongin and puts an arm around his neck, placing all his weight on that side. “Our baby is all grown up.” Jongin pushes Baekhyun off him.

“Stop it,” he says. “It’s too hot for this.” Now that they’re all settled in their hostel’s room it’s not hot anymore, but Jongin doesn’t want Baekhyun’s sweat all over him.

“And yet here you are, with us, in Japan. In the middle of summer.” Jongin knows what Jongdae is doing; he’s trying to make Jongin feel guilty, or remorseful at least. He still doesn’t know if Jongdae does it because he means it, or because he enjoys messing with people’s heads. “I thought you _hated_ summer.” Jongdae says. He closes his suitcase, probably for emphasis, after taking out his toiletries, his towel, and a change of clothes. If he enjoys things like this then he must have issues. Jongin ponders about the people he chose to be his friends. Though, to be fair, Jongin didn’t have a choice. Having grown up with Jongdae as a neighbour meant they were bound to be friends.

Before Jongin knew it, Jongdae had already decided they were going to be best friends for life. And once Jongdae decided on something, it was impossible to change his mind. Jongin doesn’t really care; Jongdae is a terrific friend, at least when he’s not trying to make Jongin’s life miserable.

“I do,” Jongin takes out the book he brought and slides it under his pillow. “Sort of.” He feels both of his friends staring at him and he can’t help but blush. “I mean…”

“You only agreed to come because of Soyu noona, didn’t you?” Baekhyun tries to put his arm around Jongin again, except this time Jongin moves to the side and Baekhyun falls flat on Jongin’s bed.

 _BINGO_. Jongin thinks. But just because it’s true, doesn’t make it any less embarrassing. He’s been pining after Soyu for the past year, after they slept together a couple of times last summer.

“I heard she dumped you,” Jongdae says. Jongin wants to punch the smirk off his face.

“She didn’t!” His replies a little too quickly. “We… never… really dated.”

“What?” Baekhyun sounds indignant, sprawled out on Jongin’s bed. As if dating someone - _dating Kang Soyu_ \- were easy. He probably thinks it is, the asshole. “I thought you had a crush on her.”

“Uhm…” Jongin scratches his neck. He feels a blush creeping up.

“Why don’t you just _tell her_ you love her?” The idea of confessing his undying love for Soyu makes Jongin start sweating, despite having the air conditioner in full blast.

“I mean it’s kinda obvious,” Baekhyun continues. “You’re so in love with her that she could fuck one of her relatives and you’d still be like, 'I just want her to be happy.’”

Jongin buries his face in his hands and wishes he could do something to muffle the sound of Jongdae’s obnoxious laughter.

“You know it’s true!” Baekhyun says, and Jongin can’t help but agree silently from the depths of his palms.

Just then they hear the door unlock. “This place is _awesome_ ,” Chanyeol says. Jongdae and Baekhyun welcome him by throwing pillows at his face.

 

 

 

Jongin’s summer was supposed to be different. He was supposed to sleep like the dead and spend his time playing video games by himself. He had told Jongdae he wasn’t going to go with them to Japan. He never intended to, really. Not until he heard Soyu was going, too.

In all honesty, Jongin knows his crush on her is pathetic. He’s told his reflection many times, standing in front of the mirror. He knows he’s hopeless. That she’s far away from him and he’s always going to be in love with her. And that he can do nothing about it. For a while he was okay with this. But no matter how many times Jongin tells himself he’s pathetic and doesn’t deserve someone like Kang Soyu, he still wants to get to know her. He still wants to spend time with her. He still daydreams about holding her hand and maybe tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

He’ll get his chance with this trip. Even though they’re not travelling together - Soyu and her friends left a day earlier - they’re staying in the same place. Jongin knows she’s a couple of doors away, a few walls to the right, or the left. Jongin isn’t really sure. His sense of direction is not quite good.

“You’re terrible,” Jongdae says. “I have no idea how you’ll survive alone after we graduate. How are you going to get to your classes? You still get lost on campus.”

“Don’t worry, _mum_. I’ll live.” But sometimes Jongin’s not so sure. How is he going to survive without his friends? They’ve been together forever.

“Is that what you’re wearing?” Baekhyun eyes Jongin’s outfit. A pair of blue shorts and a blue-patterned shirt.

“Yeah, why?”

“Nothing, really. It just makes you look like you’re trying very hard. I’ve never even seen you wearing a shirt before.”

I _am_ trying very hard, Jongin thinks. He knows Soyu will be graduating next year as well, so he doesn’t have much time.

They’re all going to the summer matsuri, next to the river. Jongin wonders if Soyu will be wearing a yukata. He hopes she will.

 

 

 

Soyu _is_ wearing a yukata. It’s light pink, with big bright pink and red flowers. She looks _radiant_. It makes Jongin blush all over.

“You’re all blue,” she tells him. As much as he wants to get to know her, he also doesn’t want her to notice him. Oh, but she does. He blushes even harder. Jongin doesn’t know if Soyu realises, but she laughs and slaps him on the shoulder. Jongin has no idea if he wants to die or if he just really wants to hold her hand. Probably both. Dying while holding Soyu’s hand would be such an amazing death. People would talk about it for years.

“Uhm…” is all he is able to say. He wants to tell her how good she looks, how lovely, how dainty. These are words he looked for while they were on the train on the way there. They’re all synonyms for beautiful. Jongin didn’t want to use the word 'beautiful’, because he thinks it’s overrated. So he looked for other possibilities while Baekhyun peaked behind his shoulder. “Bet you all the money you have you won’t be able to tell her,” he said. Jongin didn’t take on the bet because he knew Baekhyun was right.

But now Soyu is here, looking at him. And she’s lightly grabbing his arm, for balance. 

“These are really uncomfortable.” She points to her geta. Jongin notices the swollen pink skin between her big toe and her second one. They haven’t got to the river yet. Jongin wonders if she’ll make it. Maybe if she’s hurting so bad, he can offer her a piggyback ride. Maybe  _this time,_ he’ll actually do it.

“We could get a new pair at the convenience store,” Hyorin says. “I really can’t stand them anymore either.”

“Yeah, they look really pretty, but they’re not that comfy.” Bora sounds defeated. Jongin ponders for a moment on the thought of women going out of their way to look pretty. Especially because most of the time men won’t appreciate it. He has two older sisters; he knows all about it. They taught Jongin he should always compliment women, and he does, most of the time. And he means it too. _Every time._ He’s just useless when it comes to women he’s attracted to.

“They are,” he hears himself saying. He gets a giggle from Bora and a smile from Hyorin. He hears Jongdae and Baekhyun snort; they’re probably making fun of him behind his back. But then he feels Soyu’s hold on him tighten and his heart beat loudly in his ears.

 

 

 

It’s terribly crowded when they get there. It’s also terribly hot. Summer in Tokyo is not that different from summer in Seoul. Though the street vendors, cooking whatever they sell with their big fires, make it even hotter.

Jongin’s carefully styled hair almost falls flat on his forehead, and he can feel sweat under his shirt. It’ll probably show through his shirt. Making weird shapes until they all become one big indecipherable design.

He can feel Soyu’s body warmth, too, from where she is still holding his upper arm. And something sets in his chest, something deep and important. Something he knows with stay with him for a long time, if not forever. He makes a decision then: he’ll tell Soyu how he feels about her, and damn the consequences. 

Jongin knows he could either get his heart broken (worse case scenario), get friend-zoned (also worse case scenario), or Soyu could say she feels the same way about him. (And yet, that could also be a worse case scenario. Because Jongin has no idea what he’ll do if she says 'I like you, too’. He has no idea what he’ll do if she lets him love her. Jongin doesn’t even know if she will ever comprehend the magnitude of his feelings for her.)

“Uhm, Jongin?” Soyu says, bringing Jongin back to reality. They’re walking slowly through the crowd. Jongin feels Soyu’s solid weight on his right arm, like an anchor. “Where are the others?”

“Huh?” If they slowed their pace, that could only mean that he and Soyu were left behind. Which would not surprise Jongin, since his friends take pleasure in watching him suffer. Jongin bets they planned it all. Maybe got Soyu’s friends in on it, too. “Crap.”

“Sorry, it’s because of me. I really shouldn’t have worn these.” She’s looking at her feet while she says this, and there’s something in her voice, all soft and quiet, that breaks Jongin’s heart a little.

“No, I mean.” Jongin fumbles for words; they’re all jumbled up in his head. He sighs. “I didn’t mean it like that. I mean.” Ugh, why can’t he just do this? “I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay.” Soyu smiles. They’re still standing in the middle of the crowd. Jongin notices they’re obstructing people’s way. As much as he wants to stay lost with Soyu forever, he knows they need to find somewhere to rest. Soyu’s toes look all red and swollen. He directs her towards the river. He saw benches there, she could sit there while Jongin tries to find signal on his mobile.

Soyu giggles as she sits on a bench. Next to her, two girls eat cotton candy. It was the only place available. Jongin stands there awkwardly and watches Soyu’s careful fingers arrange her hair. She takes out a small mirror from her kinchaku and inspects the damage. Soyu’s manicure matches the colours of her yukata and her kinchaku. Jongin wishes he would have held Soyu’s hand instead of letting her grab his arm for support. He notices his palms are sweaty so he rubs them against his shorts. It’s going to be dark soon, but it’s still dreadfully hot. Jongin’s upperarm feels cold though, missing Soyu’s weight already.

“I thought this only happened in shoujo mangas,” she says. And then she laughs again, harder this time. Jongin has always loved her laugh; it’s loud, sincere, and a bit silly, just like her.

Truthfully, Jongin has read lots of shoujo mangas. He lived with two older sisters for most of his life and he was roommates with Kim Junmyeon freshman year. He knows what Soyu is talking about, the whole I-wore-a-yukata-to-impress-the-guy-I like and I-hurt-my-feet-wearing-the-geta ordeals. He wonders if Soyu knows he cried while reading some of them, and that he always rooted for the girls to fight for the guy they love. She probably does.

Jongin just looks around, seemingly embarrassed by his secret past (and present, he is still friends with Kim Junmyeon after all) and scratches his neck. “Uhm, there’s still no signal.”

“It’s okay,” Soyu says. She’s been quiet this evening, which is uncommon in her. Is Jongin boring her? He probably is; he’s never had anything interesting to say, he’s usually the one listening. But then he catches her eyes, and they sparkle under the streetlights. Jongin blushes all over and curses himself under his breath.

“I’m going to go buy something to eat. Do you want anything?”

“Yes, please. I’m _starving_.” She stretches the first syllable on the last word while rubbing her stomach. It’s what Baekhyun would call 'ungirly’, but it’s the Soyu Jongin likes best. The one with her guard down, the one who speaks her mind without caring who’ll listen.

 

 

 

They’re both sitting on the bench as they eat what Jongin bought. He couldn’t decide on just one thing and everything looked delicious, so he just bought one of everything he could find.

“Who sells kebabs at a summer festival?” Soyu takes a big bite of chicken kebab.

“Who _eats_ kebabs at a summer festival?” Jongin eyes the okonomiyaki he’s holding. It doesn’t look as good as Soyu’s kebab.

“Touché,” Soyu says, and takes another bite of her kebab. Is she going to offer some to Jongin? “This is so good.” She dangles her feet like a kid. Jongin could die, really. “Thank you, Jonginie. For this.” She holds the kebab up in one hand. “And this.” Then dangles her feet higher, showing off her newly acquired flip flops. Honestly, whoever thought of putting up a flip flop stand was a genius. He’s probably making more money than anyone else at this festival.

“My pleasure.” Jongin high-fives himself inwardly. He realises he hasn’t checked his phone in a while, and decides he doesn’t care anymore. Soyu’s mood seems to have lighten after she ate and traded her geta for the comfort of flip flops.

“So how come you never called me?” Okay, so whatever Jongin was thinking about Soyu’s mood lightening was obviously a mistake. Even so, she doesn’t sound mad, not at all. She sounds disappointed and a bit sad. Jongin’s heart tightens.

“I… I thought…” A sigh. “I thought you didn’t want me to.” Has Jongin really been this much of an idiot all this time?

“I told you to call me. I even handed you my number on a piece of paper.” Now Soyu sounds mad and a little amused, if Jongin can trust his instincts on this one. Clearly, he was the one in the wrong this whole time. What was he even thinking? “Look, I lost my mobile phone and all my contacts so I couldn’t call you first. I thought you knew.”

What a fool. “No one told me,” Jongin says. “I mean, about you losing your mobile. I thought…” He wasn’t thinking. He just waited for Soyu’s call, as he waited for her to talk to him and for her to initiate everything that’s happened between them so far.

“Didn’t Baekhyun tell you? I mean, I told Kibum to tell him.” Jongin is going to _kill_ all of his unreliable friends. Or maybe just Baekhyun; he’s pretty positive Kibum hyung told him and he just forgot because he has the brain the size of a bean.

Whatever is showing in Jongin’s face makes Soyu laugh. So Jongin clears his mind of murder thoughts and starts laughing, too. The situation is just too ridiculous. This whole time, he could have been holding Soyu’s hand and walking her to her class and watching her without feeling like the biggest stalker.

“This is dumb,” Soyu says. Her voice still carries some laughter. Jongin wants to kiss her so badly.

“My friends are dumb.”

“So are you.”

“I know.”

She still kisses like he remembers. As if it were both the first and the last time, soft and slow and oh so good. Jongin thinks he’ll never get enough of this.

 

 

 

Later, when they sky is already dark and they’re crossing the bridge, the fireworks show start. It startles them, at first. They lost track of time and space. Jongin’s hand is sweaty in Soyu’s warm one, but she doesn’t seem to care. He’s carrying her geta on his free hand, and she’s dangling her kinchaku on hers. They stop to look at the fireworks.

“It’s so pretty,” Soyu says, looking up at the sky. The lights reflect on her face. They change colours with each explosion. Jongin soaks it all in. Takes mental pictures of this magnificent moment. The two of them on this summer night, watching the sky explode with colours.

“I know, he says, still looking at her.

Soyu lets go of Jongin’s hand then, and wraps her arms around him, both of them looking at the sky. He inhales her peachy scent and kisses the top of her head, then whispers 'I love you’ to the air. Soyu hears him, though. She looks up at him and says "I know."

 

 

 


End file.
